Pages

Friday, April 30, 2010

If there's anything that bacteria love it is a warm and damp environment in which to grow and thrive. Therefore, that sponge in your kitchen sink is one of their favorite places in your house. Think about it, every time you use that sponge you could be spreading bacteria all over your kitchen! Fear not, there is something you can do about it.

The first, and most obvious, suggestion is to toss it and buy a new sponge. However, if you do a lot of dishes this will get expensive very quickly. Why buy a new one when you can just clean and sanitize the existing problem?

A simple solution is to toss the sponge in with your laundry. However, some sponges cannot survive this kind of cleaning. If you're not careful, you'll just end up with sponge pieces all over your clothing and possibly melted into your dryer. If this happens, you'll have to buy a new sponge anyway! Being as we're trying to avoid spending any extra money, be careful with the sponge in the laundry.

If you have a dishwasher, you can toss the sponge on the top rack when you run your dishes. The hot water and heat of the dry function is plenty to kill any nasty bacteria. Again, the only risk with this means of cleansing is the sponge can fall apart in the wash. A solution to this fear is to toss the sponge in during the heated dry cycle only and bypass the rushing water.

If you own a microwave you can put it to good use here! Set the sponge in the middle and microwave it for a few seconds. Honestly, it shouldn't take more than ten. To me, this is the riskiest form of sanitation because fire is a hazard. Make sure that your microwave is in proper working order and that you do not set the time for very long. Let the sponge sit for a minute or so before removing it from the microwave because it will be hot.

An unconventional solution would be to use the sun to clean your sponge. Set the sponge on a clean surface in direct sunlight for several hours. The heat from the sun should destroy most of the harmful bacteria and get rid of any bad odors.

Another solution is soaking the sponge in different sanitizing solutions. Vinegar is a natural anti-bacterial. Bleach is an obvious choice here as well. However, this can leave the sponge sitting wet on your sink and begin the cycle all over again.

Make sure and clean your sponges as often as possible using whichever method you choose. It will help keep your family healthy!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Let me preface by stating that I understand that Glee is not intended for children. However, I'm sure it's being viewed by teenagers. I'll admit to having several of the songs on my music player because it's fun to listen to the kids to covers of songs I enjoy.

Episode 15 was all about Madonna. That alone should be enough to let you know the general theme of the episode. Madonna, the woman that brought us cone bras and several sexually explicit books, was the idol for this episode.

The Cheer Coach (Sue) idolizes Madonna and instructs her squad to do the same. (The girls are given bracelets that say WWMD for “What Would Madonna Do?”) The squad is instructed, to be more like the idol, to date younger men. Later two of the girls have a conversation that goes like this:

*Pause* Let me clarify: in the episode before this one the two girls tried to convince Finn to date them...by making the deal that if bought them dinner they would make out in front of him. Great message! Continue:

Brittany: Trust me, the way to get a man to follow you forever: Take his virginity.

Does that make anyone else uncomfortable? She just said she's dating a seven year old and then followed it with “take his virginity.” Seriously.

Backing up, the girls in Glee Club are having a conversation about the way the men have been treating them. One girl, Rachel, comments, “How do I stop a guy from getting mad at me for saying No? [to sex]” The girls from the above conversation comment, “Just do what I do: Never say no.” “Totally, I mean, what's the worst that could happen?” (She then turns and apologizes to the pregnant girl on the team) Another girl states that “we just have to accept that guys don't care about our feelings.”

I'm sorry. I'm really getting sick and tired of television shows trashing men. Masculine men are viewed as “chauvinistic pigs” while the feminine men are loved and adored by the women on the show. I want my boys to know that it's okay to grow up and be a manly man. And I want my girls to know that masculinity doesn't mean men are horrible creatures.

Normally I don't mind the musical numbers on the show. There is the occasional hip thrust, but a lot of it works like a general musical with the numbers worked into the actual show. (Characters walking around, going about their lives, while singing.) However, this episode was a bit over the top. The girls did a performance to Madonna's “Express Yourself” while wearing bustier tops...in fact, I found the video on YouTube:

The other number that REALLY bothered me was the one done to Madonna's “Like a Virgin.” Two of the teen couples and an adult couple are talking about having sex for the first time. We weren't comfortable having our 1 year old anywhere near this one:

The girl, Rachel, doesn't end up having sex. However, when she's talking to Finn (the boy of the other couple) she feels the need to insinuate that she did. Finn, tells the opposite lie. He tells Rachel that he “couldn't go through with it” even though he did. There's a flashback to right after he and Santana finished and he says, “I thought I'd feel different after.” She answers, “Yeah, well, I've noticed it takes another twenty or so times before the feeling of accomplishment kicks in.”

The guys have their number, as well. They get around the piano and do a rendition of Madonna's “What it Feels Like for a Girl.” Full Lyrics

I'll give you a few of the lyrics:

Girls can wear jeans
And cut their hair short
Wear shirts and boots
'Cause it's OK to be a boy
But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading
'Cause you think that being a girl is degrading

Hurt that's not supposed to show
And tears that fall when no one knows

Again, not the message I want my children to get. I don't want my boys to want to look like girls. Not because I view being a girl as degrading, but because THEY'RE BOYS. I had to laugh out loud when the gay man of the group refers to himself as “an honorary girl.”

In summary, the previous episodes haven't been as focused on sex. I usually don't have a problem with this show. I mean, it's supposed to be a fun, musical kind of show. However, having an episode like this one air to our already over sexualized youth bothered me. Kids get bombarded with sex themes enough as it is and this episode wasn't any different. I'd like to see a television show that promoted abstinence and modesty for once. Would that be too much to ask?

Thursday, April 8, 2010

I realized last night that there are many surfaces in the common house that don't get cleaned as often as they probably should. So, I'm making a list!

The outside of your toilet. You scrub the inside, I hope, but how often do you get down on your hands and knees and scrub the outside?

Bath Mats. Mold and other Yuck grows in wet, warm, and dark places. Can you guess what type of environment your bathroom becomes after a hot shower? Plus, if you have one of those U-Shaped mats around your toilet you should go right now and flip it over...there's probably a "pee ring" on the underside. Wash these with cold water AND DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE DRYER!!!

Keyboards and Remotes. You sit and touch them all day. You eat and touch them. You change a diaper and touch them. You wipe your nose and touch them. And things GROW.

Doorknobs. Check the above reason. How often do you disinfect doorknobs and handles?

Toilet Handle. Think, what is one of the first things you touch after taking care of business? And how often do you clean it?

Toothbrush Caddy. Do you have one? Your mouth is the dirtiest part of your body (yes, dirtier than THOSE parts) and the same environment that grows mold grows bacteria.

Cell Phone. Have one? Give it a quick wipe with an alcohol moistened something. Especially if you let other people borrow the thing!!!